At a Glance: iPhone 5C and 5S vs. older iPhone 5

Apple representatives demonstrate the new iPhone 5s during a new product announcement at Apple headquarters on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in Cupertino, Calif. Apple's latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colors and two distinct designs, one made of plastic and the other that aims to be — the gold standard of smartphones — and reads your fingerprint.

CUPERTINO, Calif. —

Apple's new iPhone 5S and 5C and last year's iPhone 5 are alike in many ways.

All three phones have a touch screen measuring 4 inches diagonally, with a resolution of 326 pixels per inch. That pixel density is better than Apple's iPads, though not as good as Samsung Electronic Co.'s flagship Galaxy S4. The iPhone 5 and 5S are identical in size and weight, while the 5C is slightly bigger and heavier. The iPhone 5S is identical in price to what the iPhone 5 cost when it was introduced last year, while the 5C is $100 cheaper.

Battery life is comparable. Talk time is boosted on the 5C and 5S, as is Internet use over LTE cellular connections. Video playback and Internet use over Wi-Fi remain the same. Like all previous models, the battery on the new phones can be replaced only by service personnel.

The main differences: The 5S has a fingerprint sensor, a better camera and a faster processor, while the 5C comes in five colors and uses plastic instead of aluminum and glass for its casing.

Here's a closer look at the three phones. The iPhone 5S and the 5C will go on sale Friday, while the iPhone 5 is being discontinued.

IPHONE 5S:

— Capacity: 16 gigabyte model for $199, 32 gigabytes for $299 and 64 gigabytes for $399, all with two-year service contract. Without one, it's $649 for 16 gigabytes, $749 for 32 gigabytes and $849 for 64 gigabytes.

— Display: 4-inch (diagonal) with a resolution of 1136 by 640 pixels at 326 pixels per inch.

— Cameras: Back camera is 8 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.5 microns and a maximum aperture of f/2.2. Front camera is 1.2 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.9 microns.

— Video recording: High-definition (1080p — comparable to the resolution of a 40-inch flat panel TV) up to 30 frames per second with audio. Slow-motion mode records at 120 frames per second, which makes video appear slower when spaced out at 30 frames per second.

— Battery life: Talk time is up to 10 hours on 3G. Internet works for up to 10 hours on LTE and up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi. Up to 10 hours of video playback. Battery can be replaced by service personnel only.

— Color options: Silver, gold, gray

— Release date: Sept. 20, 2013.

IPHONE 5C:

— Capacity: 16 gigabyte model for $99 and 32 gigabytes for $199, all with two-year service contract. Without one, it's $549 for 16 gigabytes and $649 for 32 gigabytes.

— Display: 4-inch (diagonal) with a resolution of 1136 by 640 pixels at 326 pixels per inch.

— Cameras: Back camera is 8 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.4 microns and a maximum aperture of f/2.4. Front camera is 1.2 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.9 microns.

— Video recording: High-definition (1080p — comparable to the resolution of a 40-inch flat panel TV) up to 30 frames per second with audio. No slow-motion mode.

— Battery life: Talk time is up to 10 hours on 3G. Internet works for up to 10 hours on LTE and up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi. Up to 10 hours of video playback. Battery can be replaced by service personnel only.

— Color options: White, pink, yellow, blue or green

— Release date: Sept. 20, 2013.

IPHONE 5 (discontinued):

— Capacity: At launch, 16 gigabyte model for $199, 32 gigabytes for $299 and 64 gigabytes for $399, all with two-year service contract. Without one, it was $649 for 16 gigabytes, $749 for 32 gigabytes and $849 for 64 gigabytes.

— Display: 4-inch (diagonal) with a resolution of 1136 by 640 pixels at 326 pixels per inch.

— Cameras: Back camera is 8 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.4 microns and a maximum aperture of f/2.4. Front camera is 1.2 megapixels, with individual pixels at 1.7 microns.

— Video recording: High-definition (1080p — comparable to the resolution of a 40-inch flat panel TV) up to 30 frames per second with audio. No slow-motion mode.

— Battery life: Talk time is up to 8 hours on 3G. Internet works for up to 8 hours on LTE and up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi. Up to 10 hours of video playback. Battery can be replaced by service personnel only.